Page 28 - Waterfall City Issue 7 July 2024

Waterfall City Gardening

ALL ABOUT ALOES

By Emile Bolton, STM Landscaping

A loes are a significant and

diverse group of plants in
South Africa, renowned
for their unique aesthetic,
ecological, and economic value.
They form an important piece of
the puzzle regarding the Waterfall
City landscape with strategically
placed aloes in common areas
creating visual appeal, and self-
seeding aloes located on the green
belts. The unique look and majestic
colours of our aloes are a welcome
sight in a dormant Gauteng winter.

Here’s an in-depth look at these
fascinating plants:

Overview
• Genus: Aloe Gauteng has wet summers with high butterflies, especially during the dry
• Family: Asphodelaceae humidity, which makes aloes prone season when other flowers are scarce.
• Distribution: South Africa boasts to fungal infections and root rot. That It is especially beneficial to the green
a wide variety of aloe species, with is why it is important to maintain belts in Waterfall City to attract more
some endemic to specific regions. aloes with a preventative fungicide birds, bees and butterflies to the
spray programme during the summer biodome.
Species diversity months to ensure they are healthy and
South Africa is home to around 155 flashy in winter. Aloe flowers typically bloom once a
aloe species, making the country a year, producing tall stalks with clusters
hotspot for aloe diversity. We use a broad-spectrum fungicide of tubular flowers that range in colour
and bactericide with the active from yellow to red or orange. After
Habitat ingredient copper oxychloride. the flowering period, the flowers will
Aloes thrive in various habitats, This product can be used as both a naturally wither and dry out. The
including arid regions, rocky preventative and curative aid. following stages occur:
outcrops, and grasslands. They are • Blooming: Aloe plants produce
particularly well-adapted to drought Ecological importance flowers on long stalks, typically during
conditions due to their succulent Pollinators: Aloes are important spring or summer, depending on the
nature. for pollinators like bees, birds, and species and growing conditions.

A variety of aloes on Waterfall Drive and Aloe transvaalensis and arborescence at Gate 6. Aloes in full bloom at Gate 4.
Simlak Drive.

26 Waterfall City Issue 7 2024